Pike County Jailer Brian Morris said the inmate garden project is underway.
âWeâre happy that this year we can operate the garden,â Morris said. âWe had to suspend the program last year due to COVID-19.
âWe started the garden program in 2019 and it was very successful both in the food grown and inmate participation,â Morris said. âThe inmates learn a lot while getting the feeling of accomplishment when the harvest comes in and the vegetables are on their plates.â
Morris said that, this year, the garden space is courtesy of Lexington Coal Group with a location in the Belfry area.
An inmate from the Pike County Detention Center works on a bed as part of a project the jail is undertaking to teach inmates work skills and provide beds for children in need. Submitted photo
The Pike County Detention Center has started a new program for inmates to build and donate beds and mattresses to people in need in the community, including local students.
Pike County Jailer Brian Morris said that the jail began making its own mats within the jail about three years ago in order to save money, and he decided to expand that idea to have inmates build beds and mattresses in this new workshop program. The program started about two months ago, and they have already made 50 beds to donate to people in need. About eight to 10 inmates are currently participating in the program.